How much worse are the conditions in Irob than Sister Bisirat describes in her letter?

Much worse.

(Read Sister’s full letter, here.)

For starters, the most basic natural need of the children the Sisters teach is water.

Parishioners of St. Michael’s, Awo Village in the Irob region of Ethiopia, take water from the only hole of the area. 2015

Many parents simply cannot send their children to the Kindergarten, elementary or secondary schools because they cannot give them even a cup of water in the morning to walk the short distances in the sun.

Or, even when some parents can manage that for one or two of their several children, the Sisters cannot give their many pupils a sip of water at lunch-time or before dismissing them — after conducting school outside in the shade of trees — because the wells are dry.

Young pupils of St. Michael’s Parish, Awo Village in the Irob region of Ethiopia, learn in the shade of trees. 2015

To get a clearer picture of their great needs & humble requests, you can read Sister Bisirat’s report about the Kindergarten & Feeding Project.

Currently, NCCL is also seeking the means to provide antibiotics to the mother of a missionary Priest, who wrote to tell us that she is dying of an infection — because she and her family cannot afford to pay the doctors.

These brave Sisters have proved their faith & fortitude by staying with the faithful of the Irob region for decades, even during the pitch & horrors of the decade-long war on the Eritrean border that claimed approximately 100,000 lives.

Advertisement